Greek Culture & Sports Minister Lina Mendoni who is currently on an official visit to Australia was given a tour of the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney on Tuesday. Mrs Mendoni was taken to the National Monument to Migration and exhibitions on voyaging and navigating Australia and the oceans that surround it and an early 18th century replica chronometer made by Mr Norman Banham.
She was enthused at early time keeping pieces and discussed the archaeological Antikythera Mechanism and viewed collections related to the Greek diaspora in Australia and the Evzones exhibition in Ripples at Maritime Museum.
Later on Tuesday evening, a reception in her honour was held by the Consulate General of Greece in Sydney with many community leaders and political dignitaries in attendance
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During her Sydney visit, the Minister also had the opportunity yesterday, Wednesday, to meet with the Australian Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities & the Arts Mr Paul Fletcher who reaffirmed Australia’s support for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures from the British Museum to Greece.
During their meeting both ministers discussed the illegal trading of cultural artefacts and antiquities, with Fletcher pointing out the example of Aboriginal art, traded illegally at international scale. Collaborating closer towards repatriating any such artefacts was also discussed by the two ministers.